Three ballots, one day - Thailand’s historic election gets underway

11 Sept 14:59 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand holds a historic "three-in-one" general election, uniquely combining the vote with a national referendum on rewriting the Constitution for the first time.
Approximately 53 million eligible citizens cast three distinct ballots: one for party-list, one for constituency candidates, and a yellow ballot specifically for the constitutional referendum.
Voters elect 500 MPs from over 5,000 candidates across 57 parties, including 94 prime ministerial nominees, showcasing broad political participation.
This combined election and referendum is Thailand's most expensive, budgeted at 8.97 billion baht, significantly surpassing the costs of previous general elections.

Nationwide crackdown launched on illegal nominee shareholders and land holdings

Yesterday 15:20 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul initiated a nationwide crackdown on illegal Thai nominee shareholders in foreign-run businesses and land holdings to safeguard national interests.
The government will integrate efforts across all relevant agencies to target illicit foreign operations, forced sales of illegally acquired property, and high-risk land ownership schemes.
Key strategies include auditing suspect land and building holdings, establishing a long-term monitoring system, and cross-referencing data from various authorities to trace ultimate beneficial owners.
Prime Minister Anutin emphasized that no influential figures or corrupt officials are above the law, promising straightforward prosecution, asset seizures, and protection for enforcing officers.
Beyond land ownership, the integrated crackdown will also extend to tackle transnational crimes, including drug and human trafficking.